Common Conditions

E-Cigarettes: Both Good and Bad, Expert Panel Says

Potential harms and benefits of e-cigarettes may depend on your age, according to a report mandated by the U.S. Congress.

The devices can lead young people to smoke conventional tobacco, but they also appear to help adults quit smoking, the experts concluded.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report is the first to review all current research on these popular devices, said committee chair David Eaton.

“E-cigarettes can’t be simply categorized as either beneficial or harmful,” said Eaton. “Evidence suggests that while they’re not necessarily without health risks on their own, they are likely to be far less harmful than a conventional cigarette.”